No Way!
by Kitty-kraze
Summary: It's Sodapop's 18th birthday and the gang plans something very special for him... something he'd never expect.


**No Way!**

_**A/N:**__ Alright, this is just a short little one shot that I thought up randomly yesterday. I actually thought up a ton of story ideas yesterday…I was bored, stuck driving in traffic for about seven hours. Fun. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! Please R&R! Thanks!_

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October 8, 1967:

'_It's Sodapop's eighteenth birthday today.'_ Darry remembers that morning, despite the weeks of planning he and the whole gang have already done.

Darry pushes himself out of bed and is greeted with a head rush as he stumbles down the hall into the kitchen to get a jump start on the day. Even though it's Sunday, Soda still has to work at the DX for five hours, sometimes more. He lets Ponyboy sleep in until Steve comes to pick Soda up for work.

"Hey, Pone, c'mon wake up." He gently shakes his brother's shoulder trying to wake him.

"Huh, what is it Darry." Pony mumbles, rolling over.

"C'mon, it's Sodapop's birthday today and we have to, you know," Darry says.

"What? Oh, yeah! Right! We've got to do _that_ thing. Okay. I gotcha." He says jumping out of bed and throwing clothes on, before rushing out to the kitchen to eat.

He skids to a stop when he finds Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny already in there and Dallas is in his seat.

"Uh, hi guys! I thought you were comin' over later." Pony says fixing himself something to eat.

"Well how much later you want us to come, kid?" Dally asks, lighting up.

"I uh, well, I," he stutters.

"Don't answer that Ponyboy." Darry says smiling. "I'm glad all of you are here. Now today I want,"

"I came to help, Darrel. Not to listen to your yip-yappin' preachin'. Now are gonna actually let me do somethin' I never do cause if you ain't I got better things to do 'round here." Dal interrupts.

Darry just sighs and starts walking towards the front door, everyone just watching. He stops and turns around. "Y'all goin' to help or sit around like bums? C'mon."

They all smile at each other and head outside into the crisp morning air. Darry assigns certain member to do the things that they are capable of and they get to work. All morning, hammering and nailing wood together. Shoving stakes into the ground, cleaning out a trailer, brushing things off and keeping buckets filled with water and even watering the grass. Dallas and Ponyboy took turns partnering with Johnny to work on the special part of this morning's affairs. At lunch, everyone casts an eye over each other's work and ate a small lunch. Ponyboy and Johnny are sent inside to work on the cake and Dallas, as scary as it sounds, is left in charge of the very special thing they had for Soda. Three o'clock rolls around and the cake is finished and looking quite spiffy itself. Pony might be inheriting Soda's skill of baking and cooking. Darry's getting nervous, Ponyboy can tell. Soda should be home soon and although things are ready, it's hard to play the waiting game. The trailer has been pushed to the back of the house and they start cleaning the house up a bit. A horn sounds down the block and everyone knows that it's time.

"Ready?" Darry asks us as we walk to the front door.

Steve pulls into the driveway and they both step out of the car. Poor Sodapop looks like he's been through the wringer today. This surprise should certainly cheer him up. At five o'clock, the sun is beginning to set but tonight is no night for Pony to watch the sunset, something bigger and more unusual is going to happen.

"Hi guys," Soda says quietly as he walks through the door, Steve on his tail. "What's goin' on?" He asks realizing that the whole gang is at his house.

"Soda I want you to come into the kitchen for a minute so I can get your approval for what I made for dinner." Pony says leading his brother, the gang following behind. They stop and Ponyboy and Johnny present the cake.

"Happy Birthday!" everyone shouts.

"Aw, wow! Thanks you guys! You didn't have to do this!" He says hugging Pony, Johnny and just about everybody else in the room.

Darry wraps his arm around Sodapop's shoulder and starts walking him outside. "C'mon, we've got something to show you outside, little buddy."

They follow the two brothers outside, to the back yard and all of the work they've been doing all day.

"Close your eyes." Darry commands, keeping Soda walking straight where he wants him to.

When they arrive at the destination and Dallas is in position, Darry tells him to open his eyes. Sodapop gasps and falls to his knees crying.

"Guys! You really, really didn't have to do this!" he chokes out between his happy sobs. "Oh my gosh, aren't you still a beautiful boy." He coos stroking the nose of his long-lost horse, Mickey Mouse. "Oh you sure don't know how much I missed you. Did you guys, you know, did you," he stutters glancing at this brothers and gang.

They nod. "Yeah Soda, we bought him." Pony says walking up to his brother.

"But – but how?"

"Ha! Dallas and Steve actually helped me find this little guy and everybody wanted you to have him for real so we all pitched in. He's yours now little buddy." Darry helps.

"Darry you know as well as I do that we can't afford to keep a horse." Soda protests, completely exhilarated with his gift but not knowing where reality played a part in it.

"Ya see kid, this old pony was needin a new home fast and they had 'em posted cheap. I got grain and grass that'll last for months and I can real easily get my hands on some more. You can even ride 'em at the old stable I used to go to without charge. Join rodeos too if ya want. The guy that owns it is real good friends with me and he'll give you grain and stuff when you need it." Dallas explains smiling more than anybody's ever seen.

"Aw, thanks Dally!" Soda exclaims flinging himself onto Dal in a full hug.

Dallas embraces him for a minute before saying, "You better get down kid 'fore I take my offer back." He says light-heartedly.

Soda giggles and climbs off of Dal, gently wrapping his arms around his new horse. Mickey Mouse snorts in pleasure and nuzzles Soda's hair, trying to eat it.

"No you silly horse! My hair doesn't happen to be hay!" he squeals happily.

Darry and Dallas manage to finally pull Sodapop off of his horse so they can go inside and eat. Later that night, Ponyboy finds Soda staring out the window at his horse, the shed the gang built, the trailer and everything else. By midnight, the Curtis boys are the only ones left in the house. Darry and Pony sit down next to Soda.

"Happy birthday, Sodapop." Darry whispers.

He looks over at Ponyboy and finds that both boys are dead asleep. Darry laughs quietly and scoops both boys up. He lays them down in their bed and kisses them both goodnight before climbing into bed with them. All three subconsciously snuggle next to each other and sleep until the morning comes.

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_**A/N: **__ That's it…..just a short little story. Do you like my cover image? That's my pony Good Fellow. He's just a sweetie! Thanks so much for reading and please, please, please review! I love hearing what you think! Thanks again!_


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